1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fishing lure preventing the lure from catching on weeds, rocks and roots.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have been a number of guards for fishing hooks that purport to prevent them from catching on weeds or on the lake or river bed. Examples are Fischer, U.S. Pat. No. 1,124,719 (1915), which has two body members that pivot from an open position to shield opposing hooks to a closed position when a fish bites to expose the hooks. Bergren, U.S. Pat. No. 1,473,564 (1949), surrounds three circumferentially spaced hooks with a cage of fine resilient wire. A fish biting pressed in on the wire to reach the hooks. Turrentine, U.S. Pat. No. 3,331,151 (1967), has three hooks that can pivot with respect to each other and have their barbed ends facing inward. The top of the shanks are covered by a resilient body. The fish biting on the shank on one of the hooks causes the pointed end of that hook to pivot away from the other hooks where it can enter the mouth of the fish. Lastly, Hershberger, U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,721 (1980), discloses a skirt which carries a treble hook. The skirt is formed of thin plastic and has grooves for receiving the pointed end of the fish hooks. A biting fish collapses the skirt to engage the hook.
The prior art has some disadvantages. For example, the plastic material in Hersberger can be deformed by repeated strikes such that the barbed ends can be exposed where they can catch on weeds and other debris in the water. The front end of the shield is of the same material so that it may deform and catch as it is pulled over the rocks and tree branches. The weight of the lures is not easily controllable. Because all are made of hard, non-porous materials, they cannot hold fish attracting liquids. Lastly, the shape of the internal, central opening that receives the shank ends of the hook is fixed and cannot accommodate rings and different sized connectors.